California Dems Run Ads Against Gop On Sex Trafficking Bill After Blocking Penalties For Teen Solicitation

A bid of Facebook ads funded by nan California Democratic Party is claiming that Republicans are against stronger laws to protect 16- and 17-year-old activity trafficking victims amid a legislative conflict complete a minor solicitation measure successful which Democrats successfully forced nan removal of harsher penalties for nan acquisition aliases inducement of older teens. 

The ads began appearing connected societal media aft a ballot successful nan California Assembly past week erstwhile Democrat leaders refused to move guardant pinch AB 379, which would person made it an automatic felony to acquisition aliases solicit 16- and 17-year-olds for sex. 

Featured successful each advertisement is nan sanction and image of a authorities Republican lawmaker who "voted against stronger laws protecting" older teens from activity trafficking, accusing them of protecting their "political party, not our kids."

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California Assemblymember Maggy Krell, a Democrat, connected Monday said she agreed to region a proviso successful her kid activity trafficking measure that ensures nan crime of purchasing a insignificant for activity applies successful each cases wherever nan unfortunate is nether nan property of 18. (Assemblymember Maggy Krell)

AB 379, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Maggy Krell, was an effort to ace down connected nan buyers successful nan kid activity trafficking waste and acquisition and to align their punishments pinch nan traffickers. The advertisement run came aft nan Democrat-controlled Assembly Public Safety Committee decided to move nan measure guardant arsenic agelong arsenic it didn't transportation nan felony proviso for those who solicit older teens for sex. 

At nan time, Krell told Fox News Digital that she was forced to exclude nan felony proviso successful bid for nan authorities to move forward. 

"I wholeheartedly disagree pinch that amendment," she said. "This has been my life’s activity and I will proceed to partner pinch activity trafficking survivors and rule enforcement to guarantee each minors are protected from nan horrors of activity trafficking."

On Thursday, Democrats voted to portion nan measure wholly from Krell, a erstwhile charismatic who investigated quality trafficking, while excluding nan automatic felony clause. They besides inserted matter that read, "It is nan intent of nan Legislature to adopt nan strongest laws to protect 16-and 17-year aged victims and fortify protections successful support of survivors of quality trafficking."

"Just erstwhile you thought nan @CA_Dem couldn't spell immoderate lower, immoderate much pathetic and desperate, present they are, trying to falsely rotation themselves retired of siding pinch predators complete children, (poorly) playing authorities complete people. SO excited for 2026," nan California Republican Party shared Monday connected X. 

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The California State Capitol (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for National Urban League)

Several Republican lawmakers besides pushed backmost against nan accusation that their statement doesn't protect children. 

"You spot my friend Democrats lie… After we called @AsmDems retired connected nan level past week for removing protections for 16 and 17-year-old victims, they tally ads accusing us… of nan very point they are doing," Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher wrote connected X. "You can’t hide from nan truth pinch deceptive ads. It is Democrats who can’t bring themselves to portion pinch weird ideological authorities to protect kids."

Assemblyman Josh Hoover, 1 of respective Republicans targeted successful nan advertisement campaign, said Democrats were attempting to gaslight Californians. 

"Make nary mistake, these ads are thing but a distraction from their ain grounded grounds connected nationalist safety," he wrote connected societal media. "I will proceed to conflict to reconstruct nan protections they removed, clasp perpetrators accountable, and make judge each minors are treated arsenic nether nan law."

The advertisement run was reportedly being pushed by nan run of Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. Fox News Digital has reached retired to nan California Democratic Party and Rivas' campaign. 

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California Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher and different GOP lawmakers were targeted by Democrats successful a societal media advertisement campaign. (Fcaebook)

AB 379 came together aft older teens were near retired of a authorities rule that went into effect this twelvemonth that makes it a felony to acquisition a kid aged 15 and younger for sex. Last year, California State Sen. Shannon Groven authored a measure that made it forbidden to bargain minors for sex, but it excluded 16- and 17-year-olds.

Currently, traffickers, not nan buyers, look nan harshest consequences erstwhile convicted of trafficking anyone nether 18. 

Last week, Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he supported harsher consequences for those who solicit minors for sex.

Assemblyman Joe Patterson said Newsom has mislaid power of his ain statement and that nan authorities Democratic Party is treating him "like a lame duck." Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez said Democrats crossed nan authorities person grounded Californians connected a scope of issues, including nationalist safety, affordability and homelessness.

"All they person near are soiled lies that are easy rebutted by journalists," she wrote. 

The National Republican Congressional Committee besides weighed successful connected nan matter. 

"California Democrats chose predators complete children and out-of-touch Democrats Derek Tran and Dave Min person said nothing," Christian Martinez, a spokesperson for nan NRCC, told Fox News Digital while calling retired Democrat lawmakers. "Worse, they’re letting their chap Democrats whitewash their disgusting grounds of protecting nan absolute worst among us."

Inside nan California State Capitol building (iStock)

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Last week, Krell said she didn't attraction if nan measure had her sanction connected it aliases not, but would support immoderate connection that included protections for 16- and 17-year-olds.